China sent another mission to the Tiangong space station this week. The launch happened Wednesday, and the China National Space Administration confirmed its success.
Long March 2F Launches With 3-Astronaut Crew
On Wednesday (Oct. 25) at 11:14 p.m. EDT (0314 GMT or 11:14 a.m. Beijing time on Oct. 26 ), the Long March 2F rocket launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, carrying the Shenzhou 17 spacecraft and its three-person crew.
Ten minutes into the flight, the spacecraft successfully split from the launch vehicle, according to the China National Space Administration, which deemed the launch "a complete success."
Since the launch of Shenzhou 16, Jiuquan's Long March 2F, which carried out the Shenzhou 17 mission, had been nearly ready to launch as a lifeboat in an emergency.
On board Shenzhou 17 are Jiang Xinlin, 35, and Tang Shengjie, 34, who are both former fighter pilots and the crewmates of the mission commander Tang Hongbo, 48, a veteran of Shenzhou 12, the first crewed mission to the then-under-construction Tiangong. The three are the youngest group to travel to Tiangong. Around 6.5 hours after launch, they are anticipated to dock with Tiangong and begin a six-month tenure in orbit.
During a pre-launch press conference earlier today, Tang stated that the space station is an additional home for humanity as they travel from Earth to the boundless universe. He added that he has been working against the clock for the past two years to finish his physical and emotional recovery while completing studies and training to return to space.
The Shenzhou 16 astronauts Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu, and Gui Haichao are waiting aboard Tiangong. The trio will transfer command of the orbital station and prepare for their projected Oct. 31 return to Earth. Gui, Zhu, and Jing have been aboard the Tiangong space station since May.
About The Shenzou 17 Mission
Throughout their trip, the Shenzhou 17 astronauts will do science experiments, operate the space station, engage in science outreach, and perform other tasks.
Additionally, the crew will undertake the first extravehicular experimental maintenance spacewalk away from Tiangong. Chinese officials claim that since the modular space station's construction began in April 2021, it has already sustained some damage.
According to Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, during the pre-launch press conference, small space objects would inevitably harm long-duration operational spacecraft given the current increase in space junk. Earlier examinations indicated that the solar panels on the space station had also been struck multiple times by miniature spacecraft, incurring minimal damage, of course, which was considered during the design.
Shenzhou 17 is China's 12th overall astronaut flight and the sixth crewed mission to Tiangong. On board the Tianzhou 6 cargo mission in May of this year, supplies for the mission were delivered. In the early half of 2024, new supplies will be sent aboard Tianzhou 7.
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